A Budding Something
by Ariannel
Summary: A character exploration into the thoughts of Alistair and Solona Amell as they ponder their newfound feelings for each other.
1. Alistair

ALISTAIR

Alistair was in love. Or lust. He wasn't sure since the two blended together in an insane dance of emotions in the pit of his stomach whenever he looked at his fellow and only other Grey Warden. It only took him until after Lothering to recognize his feelings for what it was. Oh, he knew she was lovely from the moment he saw her: Long dark hair piled up in a messy bun atop her head, large dark brown eyes framed by long dark lashes, a full pink mouth twisted in a poorly repressed grin after his awful exchange with the circle mage. Humiliated as he was when his bias against mages was exposed, he was doubly struck when he realized _she,_ a circle mage_,_ was the newest recruit. However, it wasn't until after the stop in Lothering, where their party grew from four to six, that he knew his feelings for his fellow "sister" was more than simply friendly.

Her concern for him during his grief over the loss of Duncan and his fellow brothers was what threw him from infatuation to adoration for her. Her soft-spoken words of wisdom, understanding, and support helped him through his time of need and drew her personality into focus for him. Before that conversation, she had kept to herself most of the time and he had regarded her as pretty, but reserved and a little cold. Now, he understood she had warmth and compassion hidden beneath her composure which made her not just pretty, but beautiful to him. After that small revelation, he had a hard time keeping his eyes off her. Sometimes she caught him looking at her with those dark, intelligent eyes and each time, he flushed and looked away. That happened more often then he cared to count.

The night he realized how deep his feelings had become, Leliana was strumming a song on one of her many instruments. The tune was beautiful and haunting and seemed to put even the mabari in a trance. He took that moment to glance, once again, at Solona and was struck with a curious pang in his chest. She was sitting on her feet atop her bedroll (On her feet! He tried that once and, Maker, that hurt.), her long hair had been taken out of the usual bun and trailed down past her shoulders to her mid-back, eyes staring intently at the flames of the campfire. He couldn't imagine what she was thinking, but she had never looked so beautiful. She was graceful and elegant, like a noble lady, her long neck in perfect alignment with her back, her robes neatly folded around her. Her profile was mesmerizing. A smooth curved brow turned into a concave nose with an elegant small tip. Her lips were shapely, the top slightly smaller than the bottom, and turned upwards just slightly at the corners. He remembered, keenly, the urge to take her face in his hands and run his thumb over those lips. The urge to take those lips into his own and...... He squashed those thoughts as soon as they started.

And it was in that moment that he realized it.

He was falling in love with her. The thought alone made him queasy with anxiety. He always desired her attention. Craved it, actually. She laughed so infrequently, but each time she did it was like liquid gold. Smiles were less rare but still treasured. He knew she was amused by his jokes because of the smiles she failed to suppress and each time he caught her grinning, his heart danced in victory. He was desperate for her to notice him. To notice him _in that way. _Not just as a friend, but something more. The thought of what "something more" actually meant made his head spin and cheeks flush. It was those thoughts that, in turn, made him notice the other parts of her that were desirable. Those thoughts were ungentlemanly and improper, but.... delicious and agonizing at the same time. He was just thankful that the childhood tales of mages being mind readers were false.

Her softness that night by the campfire was a strange contrast to the fearsome mage he had come to know on the battlefield. When in battle, she was determined and strong and, quite frankly, scary. Her cheeks always became pink with excitement and her fingertips pulsed with energy just waiting to be turned into some kind of spell. Electricity and fire danced around her body and scorched their enemies. Sometimes he would feel a singe or two but never for very long because she was an accomplished healer. He reveled in the moments when he felt a fresh wave ripple through his body, rejuvenating his muscles and giving him the strength to carry on. The feeling was deliciously cool at first but then heated and warm, feeling almost intimate, like a lover's touch. Not that he would know what a lover's touch really felt like, of course. But it was as he imagined it might be.

He wondered what Duncan would think him now. He could hear Duncan's soft chuckle, his agreement in how lovely she was, and then a reminder of his duties as a Grey Warden. During a Blight was hardly the time to fall in love, especially for a Grey Warden. Even so, he couldn't help it. He was never one to be able to reign in his feelings like Duncan was.

Now, the problem was... what was he going to do about these new found feelings? Did he have the courage to approach her? Most importantly, what did _she_ think of _him_? Of that last question, he was most uncertain. Intelligent, thoughtful, and wise, she naturally slipped into the leadership role. It was because of that role, he assumed, that she was also carefully guarded. Although she consulted him more about their plans and course of action, she didn't open up to him any more than she did anyone else in camp, including the ever-friendly Leliana.

So what was he to do? How could he encourage affection from someone who was determined not to share herself with others? Perhaps a gift? Ah, the rose. He had picked it with her in mind anyway, after their last conversation. He was planning to to keep it for himself as a reminder of her but now it was the perfect thing to complement her with.

He only hoped she liked him enough to accept his small token of affection.


	2. Solona

SOLONA

Solona tried many things to distract herself from Alistair's gaze. Rummaging through her pack, meditating, scribing, making potions, or talking with their other companions usually did the trick. His looks, his smiles, his jokes, his very presence made her feel strange and anxious all the time. It was an unsettling feeling. She felt herself blushing all the time around him. Whenever he was near, when she caught him looking at her, and especially when she witnessed him in battle, the heat spread to her cheeks and her heart skipped several beats.

She knew her reactions to him were completely inappropriate. If her failed attempts at a relationship with Cullen did anything, it was to educate her that mages were never a serious consideration for partners outside the circle. Amongst mages, relationships were bountiful and the promiscuity of some mages was scandalous. Apart from Cullen, she knew that others in the circle found her attractive. As flattering as that was, though, she never returned the sentiment. Instead, she focused on her studies and her friendships. The only two she were attracted to, Jowan and Cullen, turned out to both be either unrequited or, in the case of Cullen, forbidden. Jowan, of course, only regarded her as a friend and instead fell for a chantry initiate.

Their doomed love pulled at her heartstrings. If she wouldn't ever get to experience love, she would make sure Jowan could. Of course, Jowan betrayed her. He lied about being a blood mage. First Enchanter Irving was gravely disappointed in her and Gregior, well, he looked like he wanted to make her Tranquil straight away. If it wasn't for Duncan, she didn't know what punishments she would have faced at the tower.

Her heart fell at the thought of Duncan. She knew him so little, yet on the road to Ostagar, she grew to appreciate him as an older brother. He was firm and steady, yet kind and compassionate. She felt grief over his loss, if not as keenly as Alistair. Poor Alistair. It had broke her heart to see him grieving so. Her choice to console Alistair was carefully made. She didn't want to pry into his personal life, but she hated to see him suffer. After their talk, she was relieved to see that he was feeling more like himself. Only.... after that conversation, that's when the stares began to occur. At first they were short quick glances and smiles, and then they became more intense. Oh, he was still the same Alistair - all witty jokes and sarcasm - but it was during the lulls that she felt his eyes on her.

He had been a templar, right? Even if he never took the vow, he still must distrust mages to some extent. He certainly did if his treatment of Morrigan was any indication. So, maybe that was it.... mistrust? Was he judging her with those looks? His stares were indeed intense, however, he never glared at her like he did Morrigan. In fact, whenever she had gathered the courage to look at him in the eyes, he seemed to blush and look away. Perhaps not mistrust but what then?

It couldn't be.....no. He couldn't actually be interested. Could he? The thought made her stomach flip. If he was interested, what would she do? She could feel herself starting to shake and shiver. Exploring a relationship at a time like this, with so great a quest, seemed wrong. She could almost hear First Enchanter Irving's admonistments at the thought of it. But she wasn't sure if she should deny her feelings. If she even _could_.

She didn't know how to behave around him. Her mind refused to work properly when talking to him so she stopped doing it as often as she used to. His face alone was enough to make women swoon, let alone his personality. His amber eyes were kind and yet twinkled with michief, his short blond hair glinted like gold in the sunlight, his soft coral lips often upturned into a impish grin.... she briefly wondered what those lips might feel like on hers.....

She could feel herself falling for him and she didn't know how to stop it.

********

Author's Note: This short fic and the one for Alistair was intended to be an exercise in writing for me. I haven't actually done any real writing in a very long time and I had fun with this! I might try my hand at an actual series, too, though the thought of writing the entire Dragon Age story from start to finish with my PC seems a little daunting. Perhaps I'll limit it to specific episodes that interest me instead of the entire series. I'll have to think on it a while. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! -- Ariannel


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